SortStack #2449 — 2033-02-21

By size · Order from shortest to longest.

1. A single E. coli bacterium 2 µm

   About 2 micrometres long, E. coli divides every 20 minutes, so one cell can become billions inside a single day.

2. A single poppy seed 1.3 mm

   It takes roughly 3,000 poppy seeds to make a single gram, which is why they scatter so easily off a bagel.

3. A mustard seed 2 mm

   Despite being tiny, mustard plants can grow taller than a person, a contrast noted in ancient parables.

4. A tennis ball 6.7 cm

   Tennis balls are pressurised with gas and slowly go flat, which is why fresh cans hiss when opened.

5. A marathon course 42.2 km

   The odd distance was fixed in 1908 so the London race could start at Windsor Castle and finish before the royal box.

6. Great Britain, Land's End to John o' Groats 970 km

   The classic end-to-end journey covers roughly 1,400 kilometres by road, a favourite challenge for cyclists and walkers.

← All puzzles · Play today’s SortStack